Radiation images, as represented by X-ray images, have long been employed for use in medical diagnosis. A radiation image reproducing method employing a stimulable phosphor has recently been proposed, and can practically be used to obtain radiation images, whereby a stimulable phosphor layer in a radiation image conversion panel is subjected to being exposed to radiation, such as X-ray or such, that has been transmitted through an object via this method, and a radiation energy depending on radiation transmittance on each part of the object is accumulated. The accumulated radiation energy is subsequently emitted as stimulated luminescence by scanning the stimulable phosphor layer with stimulated emission light, whereby the stimulated luminescence is converted into image signals via a photoelectric conversion means to acquire a radiation image expressed as digital image data.
A panel in which a stimulable phosphor layer containing a stimulable phosphor is provided on a support is commonly known as a radiation image conversion panel used in a radiation image reproducing method (refer to Patent Document 1, as an example.).
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 2002-277598